Conventional Arms

Protection of civilians in armed conflict remains a long-standing thematic priority of Austrian foreign policy. Endeavours to prohibit or restrain the use of certain conventional weapons contribute to this overarching aim. In particular, Austria’s longstanding commitment against antipersonnel landmines and cluster munitions deserve mentioning as an important humanitarian contribution, as those weapons continue to pose an acute threat for civilian populations, and claim innumerable lives, even decades after fighting has stopped.